Detachable fretwork for china-closets and the like.



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OSCAR HERRMANN, OF NEW YORK,` N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO I-I. IHERRMANN FURNITURE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

, DETACHABLE FRETWORK FOR CHINA-CLOSETS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1,199,893. Patented oet. a, raie.

ApplicationledNovember 17, 1915. Serial No. 61,981.

To all who-m it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR HERRMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and ment `of the invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Y Figure 1 is a front elevation of a frame, in which fretwork is mounted in relief to a useful Detachable Fretwork for Chinapane of glass, such as in china closet con- 6( Closets and the like, of which the followstruction, and embodying the features of ing is a specication. this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical trans- The present invention relates to an imverse section, taken through the frame and provement in the structure of fretwork, or the parts mounted therein. Fig. 3 is atrans- 65 ornamental work in relief, for application `verse horizontal section, taken on the line to panes of glass, panels, and the like, for 3 3 o fFig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail lateral ornamental purposes; such as in china closet edge view of the fretwork frame removed design from the panel.

At the present time, fretwork is perma- Referring to this drawing, wherein like nently secured to the base or panel, or to parts are designated by similar numerals of the frame which supports the base or panel, reference throughout the several views, 10 and such a structure is a permanent one, and and 11 designate the side pieces of a frame, forms many pockets, or inaccessible corners while 12 and 13 designate the respective upor crevices, into which dirt and dust lodges, per and lower cross pieces closing the ends and from which the dirt and dust cannot be of the frame. rIhis frame may beone of the completely removed. In china closet confront sections of a china closet, or other struction, wherein the base or panel is in the structure, wherein a panel 14 is mounted. form of a pane of glass, these pockets or In the present instance, the panel 14 is corners prevent the proper cleaning and shown in the form of a pane of glass. The polishing of the glass. inner side of the main frameis rabbeted as It is an object of the present invention to at l5 to provide a seat against which the overcome all of the above difficulties, and at pane 14 is placed, the pane being held the same time to permit the use of fretwork against the seat 15 by beads 16 secured in without the unsanitary and inconvenient rethe inner side of the frame against the pane sults usually attending the use of the fret- 14 to hold the latter rmly in the frame. work, and to provide a special mounting and Fretwork 17 is placed agaiiist the outer assemblage of the panel, the frame for supside of the panel or pane of glass 14, for the porting the panel, and the fretwork itself, purpose of ornamentation, to provide ornawherein the latter may be easily and quickly mental work in relief against the glass pane. removed from the panel and frame, and the Ordinarily, this fretwork 17 forms a permasurface of the panel be left clear and uninnent part ofthe main frame, or is glued, or terrupted. otherwise permanently secured to the panel A further object of the invention is to 14. Such an arrangement, .or permanent peculiarly form the frame, which supports securing of the fretwork 17, prevents the rethe pane of glass, or panel, so that the frame moval thereof, without breaking the fretwill detachably hold a fretwork structure work, and unlessthe same is removed, the close against the pane of glass to give the glass cannot be properly cleaned and pol- A effect of ornamental work in relief, with reished, as the scroll or fretwork provides spect to the glass. n many crevices and pockets, which are in- In carrying out this object the invention accessible, and from which dirt and dust contemplates not only the peculiar formacannot be dislodged. The present invention, tion of the frame in which the glass is therefore, overcomes these difficulties by the mounted, but also the peculiar formation of provision of a fretwork frame, adapted to fit the fretwork frame, which insures the pressclosely in the outer side of the main frame, ing, or yielding engagement, of the fretwork and against the panel 14, said frame being against the outer surface of the glass. made of a. single piece of veneer of sufficient Other objects and advantages of this inlongitudinal strength and resilience to pervention will be brought out Iin the following mit springing thereof to or from a longitudidescription of the present preferred embodinally bowed condition. In order to hold the fretwork frame 17 in the main frame, the latter is provided, in its upper cross piece 12, with an undercut relatively deep slot 18, adapted to receive the upper edge of the fretwork frame 17 the slot 18 being of sulicient depth to admit of the clearance of the lower end of the fretwork frame 17 from the lower cross bar 13. The lower cross bar 13 is provided, in its upper edge, with a slot 19, in which is seated the lower edge of the fretwork frame 17. It will be noted, from Fig. 2 that the inner walls of the slots 18 and 19 coincide with the front surface of the panel 14, and that when the fretwork frame 17 is seated in the slots 18 and 19, the fretwork frame is held close against the panel 14. so as to practically become a part thereof, and give the desired appearance of bas-relief work; The sides of the fretwork frame fit against the inner sides of the side pieces when it is in position. To insure `this tight fitting of the fretwork 17, against the surface of the glass 14, and also to serve as a means for holding the opposite upper and lower ends of the fretwork 17 from rattling or vibrating in the upper and lower cross bars 12 and 13, the fretwork frame 17 is bowed, as shown in the longitudinal edge view in Fig. 4, the curvature of the frame 17 being longitudinal, or from top to bottom. In positioning the fretwork frame 17 in the main frame, the convex side of the fretwork frame 17 is pressed against the glass pane 14, and as the ends of the fretwork frame 17 are engaged in the slots 18 and 19, the fretwork frame is straightened out or flattened against the glass 14, so that the fretwork lies snugly against the glass, and produces the desired result, as well as retaining the fretwork frame from vibrating or rattling when in position. As will be noted particularly from Fig. 4, the upper and lower edges of the fretwork frame 17 are rounded or beveled as at 20, so as to admit of the easy positioning and removal of the fretwork frame 17, in the upper and lower slots 18 and 19 When it is desired to apply the fretwork frame 17 to the pane of glass 14, the upper end of the fretwork frame is moved upwardly against the pane of glass 14 into the slot 18, the convex side of the fretwork frame being pressed against the glass, and the upper end of the frame being forced into the top of the slot 18. rlhe fretwork frame 17 is of such a length that when its upper end is raised completely into the to of the slot 18, the lower end of the fretwor frame clears the lower part of the main frame, and may be pressed inwardly, flat against the glass 14. When in this position, the fretwork frame is now slid downwardly to engage the lower edge of the fretwork frame in the slot 19. lt is preferable to make these fretwork frames, as may be seen from Fig. 2, of laminations, or veneer, so that the fretwork frame 17 will not only be given the required strength to prevent breakage in handling the same, but so that the frame will be given the required elasticity to bind the fretwork frame against the pane of glass 14, and within the slots 18 and 19. Thus, the fretwork frame'is held against the glass, and at the same time is yieldingly held within the slots of the main frame. :in order to remove the fretwork frame, it is only necessary to press the lower end of the frame 17 in against lthe glass and slide the fretwork frame upwardly to clear the lower edge thereof from the slot 19. The resiliency of the fretwork frame then springs the lower end thereof'outwardly, and when the fretwork frame is then drawn down, its upper Y end is removed from the slot 18. The pane of glass 13 may now be easily cleaned and polished, and the fretwork frame may be easily cleaned, when the parts may again be assembled. As the lower slot 19 is of less depth than the upper slot 18, when the lower end of the fretwork frame is seated in the lower slot 19, the upper edge of the fretwork frame may move downwardly in this slot 18 a'distance equal to the depth of the lslot 19 only. Thus, the upper end of the fretwork frame 17 cannot spring out of the slot 18- until the lower end of the fretwork frame is first removed from the lower slot 19.,

It is, of course, understood that this improvement in fretwork, or ornamental work in relief structure, may be provided upon book-cases, and other articles of furniture, and in any other structure wherein it is desired to provide fretwork, and where it is necessary to clean or polish the base or panel back of the same. The present invention also contemplates various changes and modifications, which will adapt the invention to various circumstances and uses, to which the same may be applied.

What is claimed is 1. In combination with a frame having a panel therein and top and bottom grooves in said frame along and at one side of the upper and lower edges of the panel, the inner walls of the rooves coinciding with the adjacent face o the panel, a fretwork frame formed of a single piece of veneer of suflicient longitudinal strength and resilience to permit springing thereof to or from a longitudinally bowed Vcondition and extending from the top tothe bottom of the frame and having its upper and lower edges of side and cross pieces, a vpane of glass seated in. said frame between the side and cross pieces, the upper cross piece having in its outer side a deep slot extending from its inner edge upwardly beyond the edge of the pane of glass, a resilient fretwork frame formed of veneer of a single piece having sucient longitudinal strength and resilience to permit springing thereof to or from a longitudinally bowed condition, and having its Y ,side edges fitting between the side vpieces of the frame in abutting relation and having its upper and lower edges fitted in the upper andlower slots of the cross pieces, the said -fretwork frame beingadapted to beshif-ted upwardly along the pane of vglass linto thev 'top of the upper slot which is of such length as to admit of the springing `outwardly of the lower end of said frame from the lower slot,'so as to allow the removalof the framel from its position against the glass.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. V

- OSCAR HERRMANN. Witnesses: v y 'O'i'ro GREENBERGER,

GEORGE C. VON S'rmnwrrz.` 

